Reiterating the party’s ‘One State One Capital’ stand, senior leaders of the Congress party in the State have slammed the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for “trying to dilute the farmers’ relentless fight in support of their demand that Amaravati be retained as the single and only capital of Andhra Pradesh.”
At a press conference here on Thursday, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) member Kolanukonda Sivaji accused the YSR Congress Party government of taking the State 40 years back in terms of development in its last four years’ rule. He said the farmers have been agitating peacefully for the cause of the State capital and the government had been using brute force to foil their protest.
Mr. Sivaji said the party would bring AICC leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra to Amaravati to drum up support for the farmers’ cause.
The Congress leader said the State borrowed funds to the tune of ₹10 lakh crore in the name of welfare but was unable to explain their expenditure.
Parliament building
Referring to the 19 opposition parties’ plan to boycott Parliament inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the AICC member said sidelining the President was a grave insult to the post and a direct assault on democracy. “The ruling YSR Congress Party has not said a word about it so far,” he said, adding that the Congress would fulfil all the promises made to people of Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation when it comes to power at the Centre.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Dhanekula Murali, State Youth Congress leader Allam Rajesh, Seva Dal State general secretary Gous, and the party’s Minority Cell leader Shaik were among those present.